Surface checking whole drive: use Svend's Findbad ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter John Smith
  • Start date Start date
Folkert said:
Is there a difference?


Unless you tell it to do a limited number of cylinders, yes.
Not that it does actually check "cylinders".


Yes, they call it 'scandisk' or 'checkdisk' in Windows.
Click to expand...

oh really?
 
John said:
Need to test my backup hard drive after it got dropped on the desk.
Click to expand...

How important is the data? I have a drive here that was dropped about 1
foot, it passes every software test I've ever performed on it but data
dissappears from it, enough so that it isn't usable for anything!
 
Joep said:
Just because a product
reaches it's 'end of life' doesn't mean the Linux clan should have it.
There may be competative products, they'd all of a sudden have to fight a
'free' opponent.
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Here's an idea, maybe the products we pay for should work better than free
ones do?

Does this mean I shouldn't be able to pick up someones thrown away computer
off the side of the road because it might keep someone from selling me one?
Of clourse not because the one I PAY for is going to work better.
 
How important is the data? I have a drive here that was dropped about 1
foot, it passes every software test I've ever performed on it but data
dissappears from it, enough so that it isn't usable for anything!
Click to expand...

Perhaps a virus survived the fall, too. ;-)


- Franc Zabkar
 
*Vanguard* said:
Jonski said in news:[email protected]:

True. After you mention it, another reason why I never bothered looking
at or getting Spinrite is that it appeared to have stagnated. His site
lists version 5.0 as the latest. A Google search on "Spinrite 5.0"
turns up reviews or mentions of this version back in November 1999.
Besides never mentioning NTFS in his brochure and manual for Spinrite,
it definitely doesn't mention USB-connected drives. Pity, it used to be
a good utility. I wonder what replaces it now. I only responded
because Jonski mentioned it and I recalled used it many, many moons ago.


That's why I do *not* use hard drives for backups. You are susceptible
to mechanical and electronic failure either through wear, surges, or
abuse. With tapes, CDs, DVDs, Zip disks, or other removable media, you
just get another same-type drive.
Click to expand...

Wear and abuse will kill those too.
Density and speed are the advantages
to using hard disks, so I suppose it would be okay for your first line
of backup (i.e., the son in the grandfather-father-son rotation set).
Click to expand...

Run the numbers and you'll find that they win on cost as well for all but
very small or very large backup sets. But you have to treat the drive as
disposable media--have a few spares on the shelf and when one fails, don't
agonize over it, toss it.

And I fear that I don't understand how the hard disk can be the "son" in a
grandfather, father, son rotation without also being the grandfather and
the father.
 
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